


I’ll Hold you as the World Burns then We’ll Dance in the Sparks

by Insanefangirl



Series: Holidays with Team Free Will/Free Will 2.0 and Family [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel Has PTSD (Supernatural), Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fireworks, Fluff and Angst, Fourth of July, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Newly Human Castiel (Supernatural), Post-Season/Series 08 Finale, Season 8 Spoilers, Soft Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25976788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insanefangirl/pseuds/Insanefangirl
Summary: Dean and Sam are excited to include their newly human angel in their favorite holiday. It doesn’t go as plannedSet sometime after season eight finale but without Gardeel and Cas gets to stay in the bunker‘Cuz i said so
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: Holidays with Team Free Will/Free Will 2.0 and Family [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885399
Comments: 1
Kudos: 58





	I’ll Hold you as the World Burns then We’ll Dance in the Sparks

**Author's Note:**

> Don’t own supernatural or characters duh

Dean smiles as he watches Cas watch some Netflix show he has on in the Dean Cave. They’ve been together for six months now. Dean has never been happier. Once they started to communicate things became smooth sailing. Now he loves Cas, and more importantly he knows the fallen angel loves him back just as fiercely. 

Cas’ rough chuckle shakes him from his thoughts. Dean knocks on the door frame he’s been leaning on the past few minutes. Cas’ blue eyes find him and he smiles. 

“Hey.” Dean walks over and leans over the couch, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. 

“Hello, Dean.” Cas turns his head to plant a kiss to Dean’s cheek. 

“Know what day it is?” 

“My birthday?” Cas deadpans. 

“Smartass,” Dean huffs not unkindly. “It’s the Fourth of July.”

“Yes.” Cas does that adorable thing were he squints and tilts his head. “And tomorrow is the fifth of July.”

“No. The Fourth is a holiday.” Dean walks around to sit next to Cas on the couch. “Like Thanksgiving. It’s Sammy and my’s favorite.” 

“Oh, okay. What do you do?”

“Some people have a Barbecue,” at Cas’ confused face he adds, “where people make a bunch of food and eat it outside. You also shoot off fireworks.” 

“Okay, so you and Sam are going out?” 

“Yep and you’re coming with.” Dean grabs Cas’ hand. 

The former angel turns off his television and allows Dean to drag him out to the garage. Sam is already waiting, leaning against the car. Dean can’t help but remember all the Fourths before. Where it was just him, Sam, and the impala and they would save their pennies to buy fireworks. Taking the impala out, they’d find a field in the middle of no where to shoot off the explosives and drink beers. 

“Got the beers?” Sam’s head snaps to him and Cas at Dean’s question. 

“Yep, in the cooler with the sandwiches . I also got something called “Hell’s Bazooka” along with the classics.” Dean can feel a boyish grin spread across his face at Sam’s words. 

They pile into the impala. Sam in the passenger seat because Dean had wanted to make a point with his brother. Even though he is dating and in love with Cas, Sam isn’t replaceable. Cas doesn’t seem to mind. He would sit behind Dean in the backseat. Sometimes Cas would massage his neck on long drives, or flick at his ear, whichever he feels like. 

The drive only takes ten minutes. Home is already out of town so they don’t have to drive much further to get to an open clearing. The entire ride is filled with loud music and even louder laughter. 

Dean turns off the road, pulls the car around and into an empty clearing guarded by trees, and parks. There is still a half hour until dark so they set up on the ground to eat the sandwiches and knock back a few of the beers. 

“Where does this holiday come from?” Cas asks as he twirls a white wild flower between his fingers. 

“It’s America’s Independence Day from Britain. The Declaration was signed today.” Sam explains because the kid’s a know it all. 

“I know that.” Cas huffs, shooting a Sam a dirty look. “I was there. I mean why the food and fireworks?” 

“I’ve got this one.” Dean steps in, Sam gives him bitchface number four. “The food brings people together. It’s outside because it’s normally a nice day out and people play games and swim and shit like that. The fireworks are used because explosions have always been tradition for today. What can I say, we really like blowing things up.” 

Cas nods, seemingly excepting this explanation. He then had placed the flower he had been toying with behind Dean’s ear. He can feel his face flush three different shades of red. Sam snickers across from him, but seems to find it adorable at the same time. Dean throws a rock at him. 

“Dude!” Sam dodges the rock. “It’s not my fault you’re a pretty pretty princess.” 

“Cas, hold my flower.” Dean hands the little white flower to his boyfriend and lunges at Sam. 

They roll around on the ground wrestling. Dean thinks he hears Cas mutter something about toddlers. Before he can comment though Sam is shoving his face in the dirt, so he has to retaliate by shoving his armpit in Sam’s face. 

At one point Dean is properly sitting on his brother’s head. This is when Sam decides he’s too old for this shit. He rolls out from under Dean, who falls on his butt, and makes his way to the trunk to grab the fireworks. Dean is feeling very victorious as he crawls over to Cas to rest his head in his lap. 

“You’re covered in dirt.” Cas wrinkles his nose at him. 

Dean can’t help but laugh at that. Cas must forgive him because he places the flower behind his ear again. His boyfriend smooths the sandy hair outlining the shell of his ear. 

Looking up at Cas, Dean notices how much bluer his eyes look against the dark sky. He’s suddenly overwhelmed by how much he loves Cas. Not able to stand it, he reaches up and tugs his boyfriend down to meet his lips. 

The angle is a little awkward but it feels too right for him to notice. Sam is very concerned about the angle and how it may affect their necks, as he clears his throat obnoxiously. 

“Come on guys, fireworks, remember?” Sam wacks the back of Dean’s head with one of the fireworks. 

“I’m seeing all the fireworks, Sammy.” Dean says, knowing full well how sappy and chick-flicky it sounds. 

Sam rolls his eyes, but Dean can see him low key fangirling on the inside. 

He watches as Sam firmly places one of the rocket shooters into the ground. His brother lights the fuse and runs back over the them. Dean throws an arm around Cas, excited to see Cas’ first time seeing the fireworks. 

The sky erupts into reds and golds. The swirl and sparkle in the deep blue of the sky. Dean and Sam share a smile, both of them remembering all their Fourth of July’s before. 

They set off three more, Sam and Dean each taking turns lighting the fuse, before Dean notices something is wrong. 

He collapses back to Cas’ side after setting off the big one Sam bought. It’s loud and booming and full of color. He pulls Cas close only to realize the angel is shaking. 

“Cas?” Dean looks at him. He feels concern burying itself inside. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Cas shakes, staring up at the sky petrified. Fuck, how could Dean not notice this? He pushes the rotten feeling away for now. 

“Sam, cut it.” Dean calls over the noise. 

“We’ve gotta wait for it run its course.” Sam calls back, looking confused until he sees Cas shaking. 

Dean curses, he all but drags Cas to the impala and curls them up together in the back. He slams the door behind them. 

“They’re falling. Why are they falling?” Cas mummers into Dean’s chest where he has the shaking fallen angel cocooned against him. 

“It’s okay, Cas.” Dean whispers, kissing his dark hair line. “I’m so sorry.”

Cas begins to cry, wet tears drawing tracks from his dazzling blue eyes down his cheeks. He mutters about the angels falling; how his siblings fell from the heavens in a fiery downpour. He shakes and cries softly into Dean’s chest. 

Dean has never felt so useless as of now. Cas obviously is suffering from PTSD. All Dean can do is hold him. He wishes he can make the firework stop for his boyfriend, but he has to wait. 

At some point he begins to hum. His humming turns into soft singing. Hey Jude, it worked on him as a little kid, it works on Sam still, and it’s all Dean can think of that might help Cas. 

Forever passes and Dean continues to sing. When the booming finally stops he can hear Sam cleaning up outside. Cas continues to shake but he’s stopped muttering things and his tears have dried. 

Sam gets in the front seat, Dean passes him the keys. His brother has a sad knowing look on his face, but doesn’t say a word. 

The drive is one of the longest rides of Dean’s life. His singing has turned back to humming somewhere around the third run through. Cas has gone quiet and still. Dean almost thinks he’s asleep except from when he looks down he sees the brilliant blues staring into nothing. 

They get back to the bunker. Sam unloads in the kitchen. He’s obviously trying to be quiet and failing. The Sasquatch could only be quiet if his life depended on it. Dean walks a pliable Cas to their room. 

He thinks about taking off Cas’ coat and getting him changed into something more comfortable, but he has a feeling the trench coat is acting as a bit of a security blanket so he leaves it. Instead he takes off their shoes and bundles them into bed. He continues to hum, going through different songs. 

Eventually Cas looks up at him, realization back in his eyes. His eyes are red and puffy. 

“Hey there,” Dean whispers. “You with me?” 

Cas just nods. They lay like that for a while longer until Cas speaks. 

“I’m sorry.” It’s more gravely then normal. 

“I don’t wanna hear it. It’s not your fault. If anything it’s mine.” Dean can’t help the little hostility that creeps into his voice. 

“It’s not your fault. I’m just sorry I wrecked your holiday.” Cas looks crestfallen and Dean’s heart cracks a little more for him. 

“You didn’t wreck anything.” Suddenly an idea comes to his head. “You know what? I’ve got an idea. Come on.”

He leaps out of the bed, tugging his boots back on. Cas looks confused and a little tired but follows all the same. The former angel allows Dean to guide him by the hand to the garage where Sam had left all the explosives in the trunk. 

“Dean I don’t-“ Cas looks worried, as if he thinks Dean is going to try again with the big ones. 

“Trust me, Cas. There is more to this holiday then the big toys.” Dean digs around for bit, knowing Sam has bought some. 

Cas peers over his shoulder with curiosity. Finally Dean makes a cry of victory. He pops out of the trunk with a box and a lighter. 

“Dean, I don’t understand.” Cas looks a little apprehensive and he’s doing that thing where he tilts his head and squints his eyes. 

“Come on.” Dean feels like a genius, like give him a medal or something. 

He and Cas walk outside, just a few paces from the door. Cas still looks confused but he’s definitely trusting Dean which he appreciates. 

Opening the box, he hands Cas one of the long metal sticks. The former angel looks at it, examining the flammable coating covering most of the thin surface. 

“Keep it away from your face.” Dean warns before taking out his lighter and holding it at the end of the stick. Soon sparks began to form and the stick begins to sparkle in bright oranges and yellows. 

A child like smile Dean loves forms on Cas’ face. Dean lights one for himself. Remembering from his younger years, Dean begins to flick the sparkler around. 

Cas watches as Dean makes the sparks form a heart with a swish of his wrist. He copies him. Soon they’re swishing the sparklers and creating Xs, stars, hearts, and even an attempt at their names. They’re both laughing and grinning. 

At one point Sam comes out, wondering where they had gone. He mirrors their smiles and lights a sparkler of his own. They go through the box and the three other boxes that had been in the pack. 

After a while they just sit and look at the stars. Cas is snuggled into Dean’s side, his eyes occasionally fluttering shut only to open lazily a few minutes later. 

Some time later Sam slaps his shoulder and head inside. Dean and Cas don’t move. They stay there until the sun’s glow starts to break the tree line. Dean begins to fall asleep. 

“Let’s go to bed.” Cas says. Dean can only nod. Leaning heavily on eachother, they make their way back inside and to their room. 

“Thank you, Dean.” Cas whispers into his ear as they lay in bed in their pajamas. 

“O’course.” Dean already half way to dream world. “Glade we got to share it.”

“Me too.” Is the last thing Dean hears. 

They aren’t the same people the were years ago. Cas isn’t the same all powerful angel who pulled him from hell. He’s a little broken now, they all are, but right now in a warm bed with a very alive smiling Cas, his equally alive smiling brother a few doors down, and a crushed wild flower behind his ear, he feels a little less shattered.


End file.
